Best Memories
by Lizzy3
Summary: Is every Umbridge a bad egg? Severus certainly doesn't think so. Severus finds out some frightening things about Fiona (Umbridge's daughter) and in the future he finally meets her again.
1. Default Chapter

Severus sat in his office. As always, memories of his younger years plagued him. As stiff as his outward façade emanated power he was week. He submitted himself everyday to memories of yesterdays. The only happy thing he could remember was Fiona. Fiona was the reason he got up in the morning but then again, that too had passed. She had faded or drifted, or run away. It should have been obvious that the only thing that made him happy in hi s miserable life would go away. But oh, if he did it all over again, he would never have changed it.  
~Flashback~ Severus was walking thru the grounds of Hogwarts. It was his 5th year and he still had yet to make any real friends. He did, however, have a lot of enemies. Speaking of enemies, James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter came waltzing up to him. He stiffened as he felt them coming nearer toward his back. "Well hello Snivilus!" he heard James's voice say in a singsong type of way. Severus didn't answer back. It was better if he didn't say anything.  
  
"Don't you have anything to say you slimy haired git?" Sirius asked pushing his papers out of his hand. Severus simply stooped down and gathered them back up. He continued walking to Potions. They kept right at him though. Severus did notice however that Remus wasn't saying anything.  
  
"Why don't you say anything?" Peter asked trying to make believe he wasn't afraid of the 6 ft. tall, surly Slytherin in front of him.  
  
"Come on guys, we shouldn't be late to class on account of him," Remus said. Sirius knocked the books out of Severus's hands again before following his friends to Transfiguration. He was just about to start collecting up his things when another hand started picking them up. It was a small hand, long, thin fingers; they were slightly tan and arched in just the right way. Then the hands were accompanied by a voice.  
  
"Hi, I'm sorry about what happened just then," she said and his gaze met hers. She had the most beautiful, deep brown eyes. "I'm Fiona, what's your name?"  
  
"Severus, Severus Snape. Thanks, they always give me a hard time," he said straightening up and taking his books from her arms. She was quite pretty with a perfect hourglass figure. Her hair was brown with specks of red and they fell in soft waves on her shoulders. She had a nice face, clear and a small nose. Her lips were big and pointed in the center. She was rather short, coming only to his shoulder. Her ears were slightly pointed giving her the look of an elf. "I haven't seen you around, what house?"  
  
"Ravenclaw, I just got here. I was just on my way to Potions."  
  
"So am I," Severus said, astounded at his luck.  
  
"Good, mind if I accompany you?"  
  
"No, I'd love it. So where have you moved from?"  
  
"Atlanta, Georgia. It's in the US. I went to the Arwin Institute for Exceptional Magical Education or AIEME. Either way it's a mouthful. So have you always lived in England?" she made him laugh. That was a new and different thing for him. He never laughed.  
  
"Yeah, always gone to Hogwarts too."  
  
"At least you got 11 years of freedom though. I was in school when I was 6. Dad was worried Hogwarts wouldn't be up to scratch."  
  
"I think you'll like Hogwarts. You'll really like it since everything will come easily to you."  
  
"No, I'm good at most everything except Potions. I suck at Potions," She giggled a little bit. She was cute when she giggled. Her nose scrunched up in a very bunny-ish type of way and her perfect little hand flew to her mouth.  
  
"I could help you, Potions is my best subject."  
  
"I guessed you were a smart one, even before I came over. I saw you in the library last night. Were you reading Defense Spells for the Modern Era?"  
  
"Yeah, I think I have it memorized by now. I've read it like-"  
  
"A hundred times, me too! I can't put it down. Boxwood is brilliant!"  
  
"I completely agree but his views on-"  
  
"Curses are a little too baroque," she finished. Severus was amazed. She kept finishing his sentences. It was like they were of the same mind. He still was dreading the time when she'd realize that Ravenclaws weren't supposed to spend time with Slytherins. It was then that he really wished he'd been sorted into a different house.  
  
"Here we are, Potions. I think you'll like Professor Newman. She's one of my favorite teachers.  
  
"Oh yeah, my Potions teacher at Arwin wasn't very good. I think that's one of the reasons I sucked so much. He was always knocking over cauldrons," Severus let out another laugh. That was twice in like 10 minutes. He hadn't laughed that much for years. "You want to be partners? You could get a head start in helping me with my potion making," she walked over to a table near the back. They both sat down and Professor Newman swept into the room.  
  
"Good morning students. I'm pleased to announce that we have a new student in our midst. Where is she? She peered around the room. "Ah, Mr. Snape would you like to introduce your seat mate?" Severus nodded and stood up.  
  
"This is Fiona, she just transferred here from Atlanta, Georgia where she attended the Arwin Institute of Exceptional Magical Education."  
  
"Yes, Ms. Umbridge has been in school since she was 6 so I don't want any other complaints about 7 years at Hogwarts," Professor Newman twirled around to the board. "We will be making a very basic Potions just because I think you need a bit of break from OWLS study. We will be making a shrinking solution. The directions are on the board and if I were you I'd copy down the procedure in your notes." She sat down behind her desk and everybody began.  
  
"Are all her lessons like this?" Fiona asked Severus in a low whisper. "If so I think I will do well inn Potions."  
  
"You wish," Severus laughed. "She's brutal." They continued at an easy pace for the rest of the class. Severus and Fiona became better acquainted and Severus wished fervently that Potions wasn't the only class he had with her. Finally Professor Newman stood up and asked them to bring forward vials of their potions for grading.  
  
"I would like you to write a foot about the merits of learning basic potions. Research should be done in first through third year potions books. Don't scoff this off because it's till a grade and often times are building blocks for more complicated spells." As they left Professor Newman leaned over to Fiona. "Ms. Umbridge would you mind staying for a little chat with me? Of course I'll give both you and Mr. Snape a pass," she eyed Severus with a small smile. "Do you mind if he stays in here or should he wait in the hall?"  
  
"He can stay here."  
  
"Okay, I'd just like to know a bit about your training. From what I hear Potions is the weakest subject at AIEME."  
  
"That's true, I was never a great scratch at it," she blushed. 'She's very cute when she blushes,' Severus thought to himself. Obviously he was developing a bit of a crush on Fiona.  
  
"Well you've made the right friend. Mr. Snape is the best in the year, possibly the best I've ever had," Severus blushed deeply at the compliment. Fiona looked over at him and gave a big smile.  
  
"Well I knew I'd struck a whole in one too." Severus couldn't help but grin. He was defiantly developing a crush on this short little Fiona.  
  
"Well, you both will already be late for your next class. What do you have Mr. Snape?"  
  
"Transfiguration," he answered.  
  
"McGonagal, how is she doing?" Professor was referring to the green teacher.  
  
"What do you have?" she asked Fiona who was rooting around in her bag for her schedule. She found it and checked it.  
  
"The same actually." Severus grinned, his luck was turning up.  
  
"Well that's lucky. You can walk Ms. Umbridge to her class Mr. Snape." The two walked off toward the Transfiguration room with notes from Professor Newman in their hands. They walked in silence for a moment before Fiona turned to him.  
  
"Do you think we have any other classes together Severus?" He had always disliked his name, thinking it sounded cold and hard. When she spoke it in her warm, happy voice it sounded nice. It sounded like one of those really warm, inviting names like Lucy or John, names that inspired a feeling of contentment.  
  
"I doubt it, I'm already really surprised we have two in a row."  
  
"Yeah, that was lucky. Maybe I could ask Professor Dumbledore if we could, I don't know, synchronize our schedules," she said this with a small smile on her face. Severus couldn't help himself. He wasn't accustomed to having people enjoy his company enough to want more.  
  
"May I ask you a question Fiona?" her name gave his voice a bit of a warm tone.  
  
"Of course, fire away mon amie," she said, swinging her arms.  
  
"Why do you want to spend more time with me?"  
  
"Why wouldn't I? You're nice, smart, anyway, you're the first person who's been nice to me here," she answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
"I don't know, not many people really want to spend time with me," his shoulders went a little slumped. He kept waiting for her to break down in laughter and tell him it was all a joke and that she would never be friends with a person like him.  
  
"I don't know why that is." They entered the Transfiguration room and saw Professor McGonagal standing at the front of the room. She was pretty, not very young but not very old either. She had her blackish hair pulled into a tight bun and spectacles clung for dear life on the end of her nose. To Severus's disgust Potter, Black, Lupin, and Petigrew were all sitting in their regular spots at the back of the room. He steered Fiona away from them and she obediently followed him. They sat on the opposite side of the room, front row but it was to no avail. James was already on his way over.  
  
"Well if it isn't Snivilus and it seems he's bought a friend," James said, eyeing Fiona.  
  
"No he didn't, he's a nice person!" Fiona piped up with confidence though she came over a head shorter then him. He looked down at her. It was a bit comical.  
  
"Who are you, his little sister? I have to say that you look nothing like him."  
  
"I'm Fiona Umbridge, and Severus is my friend. Who are you?"  
  
"James Potter, so you're a 5th year?"  
  
"Yes, I'm probably older then you. Anyway, why are you picking on Severus?" she asked this with a voice that was capable of striking fear into the heart of many people if it hadn't come out of such a small package.  
  
"What?" James asked, laughing a bit. Severus winced but Fiona didn't back down. She had her hands firmly planted on her hips.  
  
"Why don't you like Severus?"  
  
"Because he's a slimy haired git!"  
  
"Oh, well see, I didn't want to believe that you'd be that shallow."  
  
"What do you mean?" Professor McGonagall would have stopped them had she not been entirely enjoying this.  
  
"Well, you said you don't like him because he's a greasy haired git. That means that I could say I don't like you because you're hair won't lie flat on your head, or I don't like that guy because he's got that ridiculous- looking smirk on his face," she gestured to Sirius. "Or him because he looks tired and thin or him because he's shorter then me!" she gestured to Remus and Peter in turn. "Maybe if you were nice to Severus and looked past his exterior you could be friends." Severus snorted at this but she ignored him. "Tell me, why don't you like me?" James's mouth was flapping open and closed because he didn't know what to say.  
  
"We don't dislike you," Remus piped up. He did like Fiona. "I'm Remus Lupin, that's Sirius Black, this is Peter Petigrew, and that's James Potter as you've probably already found out."  
  
"It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Fiona Umbridge, and this is my best friend Severus Snape," she added gesturing to Severus. He didn't know why but his heart gave a big "Thurplunk." She thought he was her best friend.  
  
"It's nice to meet you." 


	2. Snape's first love

Severus was still mystified why he had fallen in love with Dolores Umbridge's daughter. Of course, when he met her he didn't know she was her daughter and, even if she had, she didn't know who Dolores Umbridge was anyway. I guess the thing that mystified him was how the daughter of the devil could be so sweet. And sweet she was, just a sweet, pretty girl.  
  
That aside from the fact that he had fallen in love with her was why he missed her. Sometimes he found himself, in the wee small hours of the morning, longing just to talk to her again. He was lonely. She had made him whole; she had washed away all the pain away. That was her gift, anyone, anytime could go to her and she would make them feel better. Even her mere presence could brighten someone's day.  
  
~FLASHBACK~  
  
"Hey Sev!" a voice called from behind him. He had gathered up his breakfast early and was on his way to the library for a little early morning study period. He swirled on his feet ½ expecting to see a face taunting him but nope, it was his best and only friend, Fiona.  
  
"Hey Winnie," Severus said. Fiona had not only wrought a positive change in Severus's internal self but also in his exterior. He had cut and washed his hair and occasionally wore a smile.  
  
"Tell me again, how'd you find out about my middle name?"  
  
"I have my ways," he said smiling evilly. A lot could happen in 2 months; this was something Severus found out quickly. The marauders didn't bother him that much anymore though they were nowhere close to being nice or civil. His schedule had been switched around so he was in all of Fiona's classes. People actually looked at him and he had a crush.  
  
The only thing wrong with anything was that he still knew nothing about Fiona's family. She had listened raptly to his portrayal of his family. She had hugged him when he talked about his father's constant physical and emotional abuse. She had said evil things about his mother after he told her of his mother's rejection. Yet he hadn't heard about hers. He knew something was bothering her for he had found her crying in the isolation of the room of requirement. She only said one thing over and over again: wanted, wanted, wanted, over and over again. She'd rock back and forth as she said this and Severus started to wonder about her sanity.  
  
"Yeah, well I'm gonna find yours out one day then you'll wish you wouldn't have found mine out."  
  
"Who says I'm ashamed of my middle name?" Severus asked playfully. She was now swinging on his arm. He smiled down at her. "So got you up so early in the morning?"  
  
"I couldn't sleep," she suddenly became silent and her eyes went to the floor.  
  
"Are you sure you don't want me to make up some dreamless sleep potion for you?"  
  
"No, no, it'll be fine. I just have to learn to use that time. I should have been doing my work during that time."  
  
"Slight problem Winnie, you've already finished your work for the next month!" Severus pointed out.  
  
"I know but that doesn't mean I shouldn't' be studying." He shook his head in exasperation. It hadn't seemed possibility 2 months before that anyone could be as studious as himself but Fiona had exceeded him by leaps and bounds. She stayed on his heals all the way to the library.  
  
"I wouldn't be talking to me about homework if I were you Sev. You're the one waking up at," she paused to look at her wristwatch. "6:00 to do extra work." Severus blushed.  
  
"I'm not going to do extra work, I just came for a little pre-break studying. You know in just a few short months we'll be taking the OWLS!"  
  
"No Sev, I've been hiding under a rock! Of course I know that."  
  
"Don't be a smart ass, it doesn't become you." They entered the library and were surprised to find Remus Lupin sitting in the corner with a book propped up on his knees. Severus tried to go the other way but Fiona was already on her way over to him.  
  
"Good morning Remus," she said. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Hello Fiona, I'm just doing a little studying," he said without even looking up from his book.  
  
"Is it all right if me and Severus sit here with you?" Remus grimaced a little bit but nodded. That was the other thing about Fiona that had impacted his social life positively. Since everybody liked Fiona, very few people completely disliked him. They sat down, (Severus as far away from Remus as possible). "So, Remus, what are your plans for Christmas?" she asked.  
  
"I think I'll go home, maybe over to the Potters for a while. How about you?"  
  
"I'm just going to stay here. Severus?" she had again skirted the issue of her family life.  
  
"I'm staying here, most defiantly." Somehow an entire holiday break with Luca and Ebony didn't sound appealing to him. He knew that his father would spend the whole time hitting him upside the head and/or telling him what a failure he was. His mother on the other hand would ignore his presence completely.  
  
His mother had never wanted to have children in the first place. Severus had been a mistake, a big mistake at that. The only time she uttered a word to him was to tell him that he had ruined her life. He felt no compassion for them what so ever. She nodded. "Good, we can spend Christmas together." Remus eyed them suspiciously. Fiona quickly got out a book and started scribbling down notes in a notebook she carried with her everywhere. Severus followed suit with a book of advanced DADA. He was just sinking into his rhythm of studying when he felt a small foot slide up his leg. He looked down quickly and saw Fiona's yellow-sock clad foot rubbing up and down his leg.  
  
She didn't even look up at him but a small blush had crept into her cheeks. She continued reading however like nothing had happened. Severus went back to his book with a smile plastered on his face. Unbenounced to the two of them, Remus was watching them from the corner of his eye.  
  
'Sirius isn't going to like this,' he thought to himself. Sirius liked Fiona.a lot. She didn't like him because he was mean to Severus. Remus knew that Sirius would no sooner be nice to the previously greasy haired git them eat slugs, even for a girl that he liked. It was incredibly apparent that the two (Fiona and Severus) liked each other. He had surmised that Severus would fall for Fiona because there was no reason not to fall for her. That is unless you don't like pretty, gentle, kind, smart, loving, giving people like her.  
  
The three continued till about 8:00 when they knew other people would be getting up. Remus defiantly didn't want his friends finding him with Severus so he bolted and Severus was dying to Fiona in private. She liked him; there was no other reason for her to run her foot up his leg!  
  
"Let's go to the room of requirement," she whispered to him, reading his mind. He nodded and followed her up the stairs. They did the ritual of walking past the door 3 times, thinking about what they needed. Suddenly a real door appeared and they went inside. The room was just as it always was when Fiona occupied it. It was a sunny room with soft furniture and boiling hot tea sitting on the coffee table. She, instead of sitting down flung herself onto the Slytherin. She kissed him on the lips, twirling her legs around his waist. "Severus, I love you, I love you," she whispered fervently in his ear.  
  
He was shocked but found himself speaking. "Oh Winnie, I've loved you from the moment I lay eyes on you." She was still clung to him and he started kissing the top of her head then her nose and finally her mouth. It truly was a wonderful mouth, full and soft. He slid his tongue into her mouth and it felt good. It suddenly occurred to him that he had never kissed anyone before. She seemed to no what she was doing though so he followed her lead. Then a strange thing happened, she fell limp into his arms.  
  
He looked down, alarmed. Had he done something wrong? She had fainted, dead cold in his arms. He didn't know what to do. Should he wait till she awoke or should he take her to the Hospital Wing? He decided on the latter. It was a long way there but he went at it at a run. He got there in record time. "Madam Mulch," he panted. "Something's happened to Ms. Umbridge. She just fainted."  
  
"What was she doing at the time?" the short woman asked, coming over quickly.  
  
"She was studying," Severus lied.  
  
"Take her over to the bed and I'll examine her." Those were some of the longest minutes of his life, waiting for Madam Mulch to tell him what was wrong with her. She came out, shaking her head. "She's fine now, I still have no idea what's wrong with the girl. Maybe it was just stress. Would you be so kind as to take her some place quiet where she can rest?" Severus nodded and walked into the curtained area.  
  
"What happened Fiona?" he asked seriously.  
  
"I don't know, probably stress or something. Don't worry," she added with a grin. "You did nothing wrong." Severus looked into her eyes. He was trying to find some scrap of evidence that would tell him what was wrong with his friend, his love. He found nothing except exhaustion.  
  
"You're probably right. You look tired. We can go some place quiet for you to sleep." He helped her up and they headed back to the room of requirement. They found the room with a roaring fire, comfy chairs and a long, soft bed in the corner. He helped her over to the bed and she lay down and fell softly to sleep. Severus had never seen her sleeping and he got a mad urge to kiss her. Her soft curls fell around the pillow and her lashes were curled up. Her lips were gently closed and her knees were drawn up to her chest. She slept with one arm falling over her waist and the other swung over her head. It didn't really look very comfortable to Severus but she looked peaceful enough.  
  
The youth settled himself in a chair opposite her and soon found himself bored out of his wits. That's when his eyes caught the bookshelf on the left wall. He got up and browsed the titles. They were all books that one would read in bed. Seeing none that particularly flared his interests he flicked a random book from the shelf. It was a book of fairy tales. He let out a hollow laugh. He had never read or heard a fairy tale in his life but he opened it anyway.  
  
The one he opened to was sleeping beauty. He thought it was quite fitting giving the situation so he read it. It was interesting if not particularly riveting but he thought that Fiona looked a lot like the sleeping beauty that was described.  
  
Fiona slept for hours and he poured through story after story. When she finally awoke a tray of sandwiches had appeared. She sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes. "What am I doing here?" she asked in a groggy voice. He grinned at her and she gave a lopsided grin herself.  
  
"You've been sleeping for hours," he answered. "We have some lunch," he gestured to the tray. She got up and joined him around the little table. She rubbed her arms, which were bare for he had taken off her robe revealing a T-shirt and jeans. "Are you cold," he asked concerned. Knowing the answer he gave her her robe and she pulled it on.  
  
"You didn't have to stay you know," she said seriously, biting into an egg salad.  
  
"I know, I wanted to, I had nothing better to do anyway." She smiled at him.  
  
"I really did like it," she said in a low voice.  
  
"Liked what?"  
  
"The kiss, you were good." He was shocked a girl actually liked it when he kissed her.  
  
"Yeah, um, m-m-me too," he stammered, blushing.  
  
"I honestly don't know why you'd want to do it with me though. There are tons of girls who want to go out with you."  
  
"That's not true and, well, you're a prize," he felt so stupid when he said that. A prize he thought to himself wildly. 'Why can't you think of anything productive to say?' She grinned and laughed.  
  
"Do you want to, you know, by my boyfriend Sev?" He couldn't believe his luck. Fiona Umbridge wanted to go out with him!  
  
"Yeah, yeah I do." She smiled and climbed into his lap.  
  
"Good, now I won't have to pursue you." She snuggled into his chest and for the first time in his whole life he felt on top of the world. He felt loved..  
  
A/N- I hope you liked that. I know there was some confusion on the subject. Severus did not fall in love with the Umbridge in the 5th book. He fell in love with her daughter. So, if I write this story right you'll hate Dolores Umbridge even more. Anyway, I hate the Umbridge in the 5th book too, everybody does. 


	3. Discoveries and Gifts

It was a bleak day and nearing Christmas. Severus never really liked Christmas all that much. It was depressing and embarrassing when you didn't receive any gifts, not even a damn card. That was how it went every year. It was even worse at home because his parents would throw a big party for all their friends. Lucius Malfoy would be there. He was 5 years older then Severus and picked on him endlessly. The only good thing about the Malfoys was when Laura would come, that was before she died. She had been a year younger then Severus but hung around him and he had always thought of her as the little sister he never had. But then disease struck Malfoy Manner the year before Severus started at Hogwarts. She had died of an unknown disease that the doctors thought she had caught from one of the house elves.  
  
The whole family was devastated. They started treating the house elves even more cruelly. They kicked them and burned them, all sorts of things. They had never been nice to them, but then again, they had never been cruel. Severus often thought that Fiona and Laura were a dieing breed. Kind, sweet people were increasingly hard to come by.  
  
That's where Severus stood. It was Christmas time again, a day before break began. It was the same gloomy period but with a pleasant twist, Fiona was there. She had planned countless activities for them. Walks in the snow, snowball fights, ice skating, trips to Hogsmeade (in their day they were aloud to go when ever they liked after 4th year). Severus was even a little excited about the loathed holiday.  
  
The normal bright decorations adorned the Great Hall and corridors. At that time the two of them were headed to Potions. Fiona was hanging on his arms (something she often did). "And we can go and have Butter Beer in the Three Broomsticks, then we can go window shopping-" she had been like this for weeks and Severus found it quite amusing.  
  
"What do you want for Christmas Fiona?" Severus asked suddenly realizing that he would have to get something this year.  
  
"Oh, you don't have to get anything for me," she blushed.  
  
"Yeah I do! You're my girlfriend and my best friend," he too blushed.  
  
"If I tell you what I want then it won't be a surprise!" she exclaimed. "What do you want?"  
  
"If you're not going to tell me then I'm not going to tell you," he replied, grinning. They continued in silence for a while before Fiona spoke up again with a grin on her face.  
  
"I know what I'm getting you." She walked ahead and Severus felt a sinking feeling in his stomach, he had no idea what to get her.  
  
The final day of classes ended quickly enough and Fiona and Severus took their dinner to the Astronomy tower. They liked eating up there for they could see the stars clearly in the sky. They talked up there. It was there that Fiona had first let something slip about her family.  
  
It was a short time after the "kissing incident". They had been sitting, eating their lunch in the Astronomy tower and they had been talking about Professor McGonagall. She had caught a student mooching potions ingredients from Professor Newman. She had totally reamed them out and made them write lines. Severus said: "It was only writing lines though, I thought it would be much more then that."  
  
"Well, as long as she doesn't engrave it into your hand like my mother does," she had stopped suddenly. Severus tried to probe but she had put up her wall again. Little did Severus know, he was going to learn a lot more then he wanted to know about Fiona's mother before the Holiday was over.  
  
"So, do you know what you're going to get me Sev?"  
  
"Not really, but I'll assure you, it'll be good," he said. She smiled and snuggled up to him.  
  
"I'm sure it will be. You're present enough for me though." He kissed the top of her head then progressed to her eyelids, then her nose and finally her mouth. The kiss deepened and Severus was sure that he could die then a happy man. She opened her mouth, accepting his tongue. He knew her mouth like the back of his hand and moved in expertly over hers and then the roof of her mouth. She gave a small groan of pleasure. Her hands were running through his hair and his were tracing her back. She was the first to break the kiss.  
  
"It's almost curfew," she murmured, looking at her watch. It was indeed, 8:36. He got up and collected his things and helped her with hers.  
  
"I'll miss you," he said as they parted their separate ways, he down to the dungeon and she right to the Ravenclaw dormitories.  
  
"Always Severus," he didn't really realize what she meant nor did she at the moment. He made his way to the common room in a daze. Falling into bed with a grin on his face. He loved Fiona, and he knew he wanted to marry her. He sat up, that was a new thought! He had often told himself that he loved her but never that he wanted to marry her. It was then that he knew the perfect gift. No, not an engagement ring. He had seen it a thousand times in Hogsmeade. It was a rare ring. It was an emerald set in a silver bed of intricate little leaves. It had caught his eye several times but never had any body for whom to by it.  
  
The only good thing about being Severus was that lack of money was never a problem. His father gave him plenty of pocket money saying, "I don't want anyone to think a Snape is destitute." It would give Severus a lot of pleasure to spend masses of his father's money.  
  
The next morning he got up early and left for Hogsmeade. He ended up having to wait 30 minutes in the bitter cold for the shop to open. When the old woman finally got there his ears felt like ice. "Well you're here early," she said in a creaky old voice.  
  
"Yes, I just have one thing to buy and wanted to get it before my girlfriend got up."  
  
"Oh, it's for someone special aye?"  
  
"Yes, yes, now can you open the door?" he asked irritably. She unlocked the door and let him in. He took off his gloves and went immediately to the window display. He pointed to the small ring box.  
  
"That's what I want."  
  
"Ah yes, that's fairy made, very rare."  
  
"Really, that's interesting. Now can I just buy it and get out of here?"  
  
"Sure, do you have the money?" the woman was loosing her mystical voice and getting down to business.  
  
"Yes, how much is it?"  
  
"25 galleons and pay up boy," Severus fished in his pocket and deposited the money on the table.  
  
"That's quite a lot of money for a ring," he said in a hurried voice. She ignored him.  
  
"Do you want it engraved, no extra charge?"  
  
"Sure, put love from Sev on the inside," he said.  
  
"I think you should go for something more poetic," she said. Severus thought for a moment and then heard himself say:  
  
"For always Winnie."  
  
"Ah, that's nice," the woman got a far off look in her eye and it took her another 15 minutes for Severus to get out of the store. His spirits were up, however, since he now had Fiona's gift in his hands. He got back to Hogwarts far later then he had hoped and he knew that Fiona would already be up. He hurried to his dormitory, hoping she wouldn't find him and the gift. He deposited the tiny box carefully in his trunk.  
  
He found Fiona sitting in the library. All the students had already gone for which he was very grateful. She looked up. "Where were you? I was worried!"  
  
"Getting your gift," he answered with a sly smile.  
  
"Oh, I still have to go and get yours. Maybe I'll do it tomorrow." He nodded.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"I'm studying Potions."  
  
They studied for the rest of the afternoon. It seemed that Fiona had forgotten all her plans of Christmas indulgences. Finally, at about 4:00 she put down her book and looked at Severus. She looked at him for a very long minute. She let out her breath very slowly then decided to speak. "You have a very lovely face," she said in a low, quite sexy voice.  
  
"What?" Severus asked, looking up from his Potions book.  
  
"Your face, it's very lovely. It's much lovelier now though, since you've cut your hair."  
  
"Your face is a lot more lovely then mine," he replied. He cupped her chin in his hands and gazed into her eyes. Those eyes, they were the death of him sometimes. Big, amber orbs just staring into his beady black ones. "Let's not study anymore today. Let's take a walk. It's very nice outside."  
  
"But it's cold isn't it?"  
  
"Of course it's cold, it's late December!" Severus said in a surprised voice. Fiona wasn't one to state the obvious.  
  
"I just meant that we'll need to head back to my Dormitory so I can get warmer cloths," she blushed and Severus felt badly.  
  
"Okay, can do." They walked down to the Ravenclaw entrance (a suit of armor). He closed his ears as to not hear the password. He was surprised when she beckoned him foreword but he followed. The Ravenclaw Common Room was much nicer then the Slytherin one. It was much cheerier, with bright yellow walls and soft, poufy, yellow chairs.  
  
"I'd ask you up but you'd get a nasty bump on the head." He nodded and watched as she climbed the stairs.  
  
"Isn't anyone going to notice I'm here?" Severs asked.  
  
"No, there're only a few of us staying and the others are playing Quidditch or in the library. I made sure nobody was around.  
  
"How'd you do that?"  
  
"I have my ways." She disappeared for a couple of minutes. Severus was getting increasingly uncomfortable. What if someone burst through the doors and found him there? People would know Fiona let him in and then she would have to face scorn by her peers. He was relieved when she appeared at the top of the stairs and ran down to him. She had a sweater and her cloak in hand along with mittens, a hat, and a scarf. "Let's go."  
  
The two walked to the doors leading outside before putting on their cloaks, gloves, hat, etc. She looked very cute with her green hat with ears. Severus didn't really look cute. He pulled on a black sweater then his black cloak and his black gloves and his black scarf and then his black hat. Fiona was a mismatch of colors. She had a green hat, red mittens, purple scarf, and multicolored sweater. Of course her cloak was black but still.  
  
Severus took her hand and they walked out into the snowy wonderland. She gave a little shiver and walked into Severus arms. She pressed close to him and he pulled his arm around her shoulders. "Let's go ice skating!" she said excitedly.  
  
"I don't know how and we don't have any ice skates," Severus hated to point this out.  
  
"I haven't either but I've always wanted to try and we don't need skates." She led them to the thickly frozen lake.  
  
"We should check the ice first," Severus said. He took out his wand and muttered a quick spell. "It's okay." They went out onto the frozen ice. She caught on very quickly, gliding across its surface with ease and grace. Severus however wasn't very good at all. He moved slowly and cautiously, but still managed to fall down a fair amount.  
  
"Come here Sev," Fiona laughed in her sweet little giggle. She went over and helped him up from a particularly nasty fall. She took his arm and steadied him. "Long glides like this. Become one with he ice." She enchanted Severus. Just then she looked particularly beautiful. The cold wind was whistling through her hair, blowing at the part that wasn't covered by her hat. Her eyes seemed to be all the brighter and her cheeks were red. Her voice sounded very sweet to him and her movements were like that of an angel. The pressure of her hand on his arm was entirely pleasant and he wanted, more then anything, to be graceful like her, to please her.  
  
He worked at it and finally became decent just about when she sat down, exhausted. "Come on Winnie," he said, giving her his hand. He stayed as steady as he could and managed not to fall as he helped her up. They skated to the outskirts and stepped onto the soft snow. The bottoms of their shoes were soaking wet and the warmth of the castle was looking very nice at the moment. "We should hurry or we'll miss dinner," she murmured, looking into his eyes. He ignored her words and bent down to her lips. They were cold but he warmed them and he warmed her, holding her close to his body. She molded to him and he felt her relax in his embrace. She laced her fingers around his neck and he around her waist.  
  
"I love you Severus," she whispered into his lips.  
  
"I love, love, love you. Do you want me to prove it?" Severus asked.  
  
"You don't have to," she smiled and it just made him want to even more.  
  
"I LOVE THIS WOMAN. I LOVE FIONA ARWIN UMBRIDGE MORE THEN ANYTHING. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, THIS WOMAN!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. She laughed and it went all the way into her eyes. Her cheeks crinkled and her eyes became warm slits. She pulled him back into a kiss.  
  
"I love this man, I love, love, love him. For always Severus, for always."  
  
A/N- I know I got that from a commercial but I just think that that commercial is the cutest thing in the world! I hope you enjoyed this. Another one will be coming soon to a theatre near you! 


	4. Love's Flight

Severus often remembered that day in bittersweet fondness. It was the calm before the storm, the eve before the tempest. He had been so blissfully happy. That's what he was sitting in his office doing. A lone tear roamed down his cheek, ending at the stubble on his chin. The tear fell with a soft "plink" on the stone floor of the dungeon. The door creaked open slowly and Severus looked up to see Albus Dumbledore standing in the doorway. "Good evening Severus," the aged man said in a low voice.  
  
"Good evening sir," Severus said in his usual stony voice.  
  
"I'll cut right to the chase. Do you remember Fiona Umbridge?"  
  
"Of course I remember Winn- I mean Fiona!" Severus said in a voice that was higher then usual.  
  
"I thought you would. Now this is where you come in. I need your help. You've noticed that the DADA teacher this year is a bit, how shall we say, under par. You will also understand that now, above all other times, we need a good one." Severus nodded. "We need her Severus, I need you to go and find her. Now is the perfect time because she'll be able to start out at the beginning of the semester." Severus was balled over by this. How could he go and get her?  
  
"Albus, you know why she had to leave don't you? You know why she can't ever come back!"  
  
"Yes, I'm aware of the grounds of her flight, but Severus, Dolores Umbridge is no longer a threat."  
  
~Flashback~  
  
The two love birds made their way back up the steps to the Great Hall. The room was nearly void of all other students and the usual long, big house tables were replaced by a few small, circular ones scattered about the nucleolus of the room. The two of them settled themselves at the nearest table and the food popped up on the plates. They helped themselves to chicken and roasted potatoes followed by a delicious German Chocolate cake. "I was thinking last night," Severus began.  
  
"What were you thinking about?" she asked, grinning up at him.  
  
"About how much I loved you. I was thinking that if I could I'd run away with you right now. I love you so much Winnie, more then you could possibly imagine."  
  
"I don't think you know how nice it feels to finally feel loved," she murmured. He caught her tear on his finger. "I love you more then anything Severus. Let's run away," she said this more as a plea then a statement. "I'm tired of it all Severus," she cried.  
  
"Tired of what?"  
  
"Of my mother," she choked out.  
  
"What does she do?" Severus said this in a low, dangerous voice.  
  
"Everything, she hits, she yells, she beats, she starves. I'm such a failure," the tears were falling steadily down her face. Her body was racked with sobs. She could barely draw breath. Severus was up in a second with his arms around her.  
  
"You are not a failure! You are the most amazing person in the entire world and I won't let her hurt you anymore," he murmured into her hair. She cried and cried till all her tears were gone. "Sweet girl, sweet girl, darling, lovely, baby, everything, everything."  
  
"Thank you Severus," she whispered. "Can you fly me away from this place?"  
  
"We're so far away from her now Winnie, we've flown away. You see, she can't break love, we've flown." They spent the night in the Great Hall. They ended up curled up together in an armchair that had been placed next to the fire. He had his arm around her, protecting her from all that arms could keep out.  
  
When he woke she was gone. A note lay in her place. "Severus, I've gone to Hogsmeade to buy your Christmas present. I'll be back by 10:00 or 10:30- Love Winnie." He looked down at his watch. He had over slept; it was already 10:45. He rose from his seat and went off toward the Ravenclaw Common Room. Karl Yoder was about to enter. He went up to him.  
  
"Do you know if Fiona Umbridge is in there?"  
  
"No, but I could check," Karl had always been a very nice person. The boy disappeared into the Common Room. A moment later he emerged. "I'm sorry, she's not in there Severus." Severus nodded, he was getting a little nervous.  
  
"Thank you Karl." He hurried back to the Great Hall and collected his cloak. After what he had heard the night before he wasn't going to risk anything. He almost ran to Hogsmeade, hoping to find her somewhere. He scanned the road, it wasn't very busy but he heard a voice from a small alleyway. He rushed toward it. What he saw made is blood turn to ice. There was his Winnie and another woman was with her. The woman was short and toad-like. The toad woman that Severus assumed was Mrs. Umbridge was beating Winnie repeatedly with the back of her hand. Fiona's face was covered in blood and tears and she was crying, "Mum, please stop, please stop." Severus was on her like a duck on a junebug.  
  
"You heard her, STOP!" he yelled, grabbing the woman's hand.  
  
"You must be the Slytherin," she said in a sickly sweet voice. "Just be on your way, this is none of your concern."  
  
"Like hell I will, you'll be lucky if I don't file charges," Severus said in a deadly whisper. "Now I'm going to let go of you and you're going to be gone by the time I count to three." He did but the moment he let go of her hands she lunged at Fiona. Severus hurried forward and knocked the woman out. "Come on Winnie, we've got to hurry." He grabbed Fiona's hand and hurried her to Hogwarts.  
  
When they got there Severus rushed to his Common Room taking her with him. He grabbed his broomstick and the ring box from his room and handed them to her. "You've got to go Winnie, just fly, I'll put a camouflaging spell on you. Get as far away as you possibly can. Don't ever contact me again, don't ever come back." She was too stunned to say anything and he did the spell and pushed the broom into her hands. "Just know Winnie, this is killing me." She turned her teary eyes to him.  
  
"Always Severus, always." They shared a brief kiss before he shoved her onto the broom and out the window. That was the night he died, the night he watched as the only good thing in his life flew away.  
  
~End flashback~  
  
"I can't risk her life Professor."  
  
"I know but we have to. Here's her address, don't worry I did it on my own, not through the Ministry," he added when he saw Severus's face. "You'll need to leave immediately. You can floo from Hogsmeade. Tell her what we need of her and bring her back." Severus looked at the old face of his dear friend. He nodded and was off with his cloak in hand.  
  
He walked through the snow and biting cold toward the outer gate. He passed through it and entered The Hog's Head. There he flooed to the address on the sheet. He entered a comfortable looking apartment. It was late and the fire in the grate was no longer on. Sparse Christmas decorations decorated the walls. The living room, (the room he was in), was painted yellow and it had soft, fluffy, white sofas and chairs. A figure was curled up on one of the sofas. On the coffee table in front of the figure was a ½ eaten box of Chinese food and the TV was showing an old movie (Miracle on 34th St.). He could barely believe his eyes, Winnie was on the couch, sleeping. He caught sight of her hand that was draped over her stomach. On it glittered an emerald ring, the one Severus had bought her so many years before. He saw a broom propped up in the corner.  
  
He closed the distance between them finally. He laid a tentative hand on her arm. She shuttered a little before her eyes opened. She jumped up. "Who the hell are yo-" she stopped suddenly and looked into his eyes. "Severus?" her voice still had that sweet, honey tone that made his name sound warm and inviting. He could only nod. She flung her arms around his neck. "I've missed you so, so, so, so, so much!"  
  
"Oh Winnie, you have no idea!"  
  
"Why are you here, how'd you get me address?" she asked finally as they settled down on the sofa.  
  
"Dumbledore gave it to me, he's done some research on his own. I came here to ask you to take the job of DADA teacher at Hogwarts. Don't worry," he began, seeing the fear in his eyes. "She's no longer a threat." Fiona collapsed in his arms. She was crying now.  
  
"That's all I've dreamed of for all these years. I've wanted so badly to be with you again. You make me whole Severus."  
  
"Winnie, I have another question. Will you marry me?"  
  
"Always Severus, always."  
  
A/N- I didn't get any reviews for that last chapter. I'm not complaining but that was my favorite chapter. Anyway, I hope you liked this one. R&R and read my other fic: After the Affair, I'm about to finish a new chapter. 


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